Sorry for the lack of content recently - between work and family/Christmas related events I haven't really done much birding throughout December! Last night I flew to Halifax to visit Laura and her family, and I will be spending the remainder of the year (and the first few days of January) in Nova Scotia. I figured this would be a good time to put together a post summarizing the year's highlights. Scratch that - I'll make three posts. I don't really have any other content at this point anyways...
Throughout January and February I was able to get out birding a fair bit as I did not have a job yet. Unfortunately I was without a camera for the majority of that period! Observing Ontario's third winter record of Bay-breasted Warbler at Sedgewick Park was a highlight, and fortunately I was able to borrow my mom's camera one day to document it.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOznI9AUj35H2Evy_JrZ_DPW8Q5ws4VoviJkSmycPwaA1XhFmr_Ueq9LBzwIDKiJcfCVytJ9sdbn7Rpvm5jp_Vz_vQCYPJr-b6s8f5wuFVLKveYbyjClGJuBf8YyjkpdbuPrdKGgI8cuj/s1600/P1020543.jpg) |
Bay-breasted Warbler - Sedgewick Park, Oakville, Ontario |
Other interesting birds I saw in late winter included a Brant in Haldimand County, a Harris's Sparrow near Cambridge, and a White-winged Dove at Rondeau Provincial Park. Additionally, a Western Grebe persisted along the Toronto waterfront for a while, eventually resorting to hanging out with a group of somewhat similarly looking Red-necked Grebes. One afternoon I photographed the fellow as it displayed to a female Red-necked Grebe.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hM8S9DjK_X4prWT7UGlWlTrudg2JL_VtRZM7lbqb045tkbk30iCLiZ56-t8VV9qTDwZU_zUcVR57eO4Ms8-A_UMAwoEuPkfcD3F3vrWL0a7zpecjJ87OVlGSf1NC-hAtqSfLvKXBVyQn/s1600/DSC_0047.jpg) |
Western and Red-necked Grebes - Toronto, Ontario |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiudwGB0adcAhjFFa5DOMhdN0jjLuRDz-1LAMZaujvO2gYHY8z_hb3ONfo8K6CFW_berG4clGLLrX0PxgnjzcTL1LP6YCKU8iIG-L104fs2dzjjPThev6i9MdnnLRIaz9TUod2oCBLtmTK4/s1600/DSC_0228.jpg) |
Western Grebe - Toronto, Ontario |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDvma07ZjHTDUjAVXrHAnSEMDzLrDzm2CkJD29sA7DJLMF5VCJWlYgMR_bUjnCwLGgvfFd-unBOqcF3ALt_x9uDUgbjXWBagGSW1gg2OtM72sT9WAZNrajuoAOm4eeSua44jZvD6v1XDGQ/s1600/DSC_0234.jpg) |
Western Grebe - Toronto, Ontario |
In March I left Ontario, where winter still held an icy grip, for warmer (and windier) climes in Scotland. Laura is currently studying veterinarian medicine there and I was excited to make my second visit to that part of the world. Between two weeks in Scotland and a few days in France, we were fortunate to share quite a few memorable bird sightings together. Below are some of the photo highlights of the trip...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfwjwiMu1Equ9KaHlJ_A6BGTOj73Y_KAfQ-_oN-IBtf3wl64M-QuitOikVUtHS9GF9z1GQ_Pwk9ZHBuJpivVVU6oxezqvZDqNECVVAEezzXW8biWfbaEcDH53j6cFXDzxzIXFZCl6O2QX8/s1600/DSC_0014.jpg) |
Eurasian Oystercatcher - Oban, Scotland |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4_XCQAkO0K6ZijT2F_RQ4Hw_gvnSDs5ewpeXj7-pPH9Ug6c4HUpY1EEvTFBJW5JKPPKhc-muB-rgrozI7WFvYvkUuUTLhPcx7NPa-OIEzP72lD8RGz15DlsG6QRBZG7pc5oig47msbFKd/s1600/DSC_0185.jpg) |
Goldcrest - Bois de Boulogne, Paris, France |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSu_505hggCqS7NiPRDk8cRyMh85nCV1EV4J3w3O9ZpyvDAuZSfkUfUN7-vDOpt_CYv6rcccaOxYsBiAGOXWVBrsWw8DjiMcVE-6-QpUk1JaSdPHIIYhyphenhyphenQ3UkW_LneA3dAEnybUEIVEpAw/s1600/DSC_0224.jpg) |
Great Tit - Bois de Boulogne, Paris, France |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK3Rp_WH7gwOVsf1dCR7ds-gD6lYODp0CDEoKuaq4xrCcZvULbDZAypBNEg4MB0uR4UkuuIUfuYtTZcNma3iZ3cLsKBCSAh5P2rWL_nR7hZRzJyrkryfyc0VaMaiWeNlrwQD1nMiFvocIX/s1600/DSC_0018.jpg) |
Kirkcaldy, Scotland |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixpx1Jl4cjlN12ZdVTQ7n75qoRBgv9cmCbQ4wqfAotxdweNHi3bino_hDRf_oIw_dLhxMRuDSG-ozVJ5Rwx3Mmi3FHNyHrpan-xmyfgnNLYDb4VGrCy92unKospA-9JaVR00n_OddEGbGw/s1600/DSC_0148.jpg) |
Kirkcaldy, Scotland |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUSEqQWRkoaG8xVMER1m_Ec7HXyWf7TV4ZMtvTgq1qiYioQufmepBesBddo5BWq8mhOun5NFK0_DM_wDyqGyxAjXrOCPoaauQ0jbj8710RwunTEItxJxfxU4pxwbsztoEHz-gipZFXAWEH/s1600/DSC_0223.jpg) |
Razorbill - Kirkcaldy, Scotland |
Once I returned in early April I focused my attention on looking for early spring migrants as well as the first reptiles and amphibians of the year. A yearly tradition of mine involves going to a particular set of vernal ponds on the first warmish, rainy nights of the spring to see what I can find. This year was no different...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfILXa4yYBzzLDkcUXZj8FW4_8ZH6itsVgNR-O9bduA8k3j8O4QFv1vwsYwMqA5nzd-Qb6-qTjzZRWohHU6WVIq9Ia5LxRRXmiCJrqujqBNVkaX_DSH3OBIpqjUAGL4Q7mD5WFQFFtmpoz/s1600/DSC_0003.jpg) |
Red-bellied Snake - Cambridge, Ontario |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66GD3-k-DQOqCZ8Did5OpFNoh195Haej1uTMpGKOMfNqjFHre031wueDgWOf5l9Ay3D9JfS9C6TstGrD8PQPA4zRRHX8WKPv8-uZXL82HhMidbVcm3PFT-RNXK86qyfIBnJWINKs3BZug/s1600/DSC_0028.jpg) |
Spotted Salamander - Cambridge, Ontario |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmvenNERrrbLqYNcqihXPZCwOSueg9yyU8F7Adkma03Fg4JJPGSUHRdDFAAyohLOqvmcNNifZSMQPCTdlC9k-fJtCr_Ai9s-l6XYONIUaJ7m82oQO6Svd7OCaVb3rLoLwXX4aPRsxUzcy/s1600/DSC_0033.jpg) |
Spring Peeper - Cambridge, Ontario |
It was around this time that I sort of unexpectedly fell into my first full-time job. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up and I was starting in early May, so I made the most of my month of April and visited the Pelee area on numerous occasions. Spring was in the air...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdacUUOMN2YTZXqW_6Ni4VqXXMAaGCF1pHgAENflUoItNWzjEVpMUV9Keqo6sNLDvTsVwrFifXgcQLjfW-eOG1HR_TaChjWzENIqgZrkYcBpvZ8U3n-ySloTYtIIuWlBZAcYGutUArfVlA/s1600/DSC_0032.jpg) |
Merlin - Point Pelee NP, Ontario |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvm1rOVWZeyjPas8Fa78DwCiNs1qaXjx9pYyGxWPBkSluFXo4BtrOp6hTMrToFU6VKGSe05AStuqRHNlzgveMkbHaxoRnA5vJADMD9SzrQ5o7aAODJxij7ad5KD_80ZyR-dqTWug6Cp2G/s1600/DSC_0047.jpg) |
Red-winged Blackbird - Point Pelee NP, Ontario |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfy1oAi5M0L6k6oezyaSLMz05viZ2JiJgZ47uZxcTrqHWPB68LYtx4aC76t6NIKzEdQx5ZVsk21t-0OwMx81ggkZLv1DIhNi1dbuT67odBCIpsgMiTNOh8MiOuF0WZ4NMS1G73CT5_jHwG/s1600/DSC_0050.jpg) |
Eastern Foxsnake - Hillman Marsh, Ontario |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiishfVPR7hbYBHUP81dyzfJXtxFvPLRIP43nOihFyOkgigoWOYgLNIV-Zha0teZhf0cubAv65yqdA39E9d3A7NqvuxJhQbYINCbZotpCy0nXrgpRzyQ1cENqEGiU1khsy-079YsjpxZzN2/s1600/DSC_0140.jpg) |
Northern Ribbonsnake - Cambridge, Ontario |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokjp85fLVHoOJc86IP22Cu2rpnQUL0OSBqpGhKPMNNnB7d2NxLOi4DohRts7ze-OBophMIrykOqEA4KvyQDNWlf2k7Wwx-nlPvTthO1cv9GnjCfvnqkGLp6xt71d9ME_vCl7Ox_kQaxjJ/s1600/DSC_0096.jpg) |
Midland Painted Turtle - Cambridge, Ontario |
By late April, all hell broke loose in southern Ontario and rarities began appearing after several fronts from the southwest. I was lucky to find a Lark Sparrow, Henslow's Sparrow, King Eider, and
be a part of a Townsend's Warbler find within several days.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqWMT6e49frF8rzA-7X103XDzVoxg8POtP_4K175eN2Ngg-fPe85btTDEA99jed4WzpX6oUc_VQ68mxYGmD_w96rlNKVgEG4xL6VaYTBZrdI32suOSIk2cOR-AHqw-xeeu3-3jhi3L2b5e/s1600/DSC_0179.jpg) |
Lark Sparrow - Erieau, Ontario |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2QUOG32GGtSTKhVNrmmu2RXUaq8NQo2JMy63C3FG-UbUqakBVhRaQXVLk6wYXcsInd1E_8BAAsSJzQpwLmXEjRtgY23lL_8VoB5CM51OmSY1niQj3B2OpyeZk-mloUmH9eZWejPWlyLFn/s1600/DSC_0096.jpg) |
Henslow's Sparrow - Point Pelee NP, Ontario |
A major highlight of the spring was photographing this Painted Bunting which patronized a feeder near Point Pelee for a few days.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu_SwIaJaJJ2A6NIPdOBo4OD-zeEjmmV2VHqi3ZC5iFXWi1tftRASrPvt2MR9T4ky-CJQFJNC6RsoZzhk42qef9fmOF_OHD_DG7tz1Zjx8h8D36_C-LbSDHUOvpjHQUr108YxNpJ6z6t3M/s1600/DSC_0295.jpg) |
Painted Bunting - Leamington, Ontario |
By early May I was forced to vacate Point Pelee to begin my job, but fortunately I had quite a bit of interesting fieldwork lined up. Part two will be next, covering May through August.